Ski pole with camera mounting means

ABSTRACT

A ski pole of a conventional type is utilized in a manner that special means is mounted accessibly and operatively atop the handgrip for detachably mounting, transporting and supporting photographic camera equipment whereby to in this manner permit the ski pole to be employed in the usual manner while skiing and in addition to serve as a stabilizing, aiming support for the photographic camera equipment when the skier feels called upon to use the same.

United States Patent 91 Martchenke SKI POLE WITH CAMERA MOUNTING MEANS [76] Inventor: -Earl J. Martchenke, PO. Box 8831,

Albuquerque, N. Mex. 87108 [22] Filed: July 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 273,631

[52] US. Cl. 280/l1.37 E, 85/42, 95/86,

248/187 [51] Int. Cl. A 63c 11/22 [58] Field ofSearch ..280/] L37 E, 11.37 H, 6 B: 95186,: 4811. 851

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1953 Nelson 85/42 x 3,074,338 l/l963 Hanscom 2,636,822 4/1953 Anderson 95/86 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,170,738 9/1958 France 280/1 1.37 E

France 280/1 1.37 H

Switzerland 85/42 Primary Examiner-David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-Milton L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A ski'pole of a conventional type is utilized in a manner that special means is mounted accessibly and operatively atop' the handgrip for detachably mounting, transporting and supporting photographic camera equipment whereby to in this manner permit the ski pole to be employed in the usual manner while skiing and in addition to serve as a stabilizing, aiming support for the photographic camera equipment when the skier feels called upon to use the same.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SKI POLE WITH CAMERA MOUNTING MEANS The present invention pertains to a simple, practical and feasible device which isexpressly designed and adaptedto enable a user thereof to transport and provide a stablesupport for photographic camera equipment and which'with the equipment in placelends itself to practical and reliable use while skiing.

Stated somewhat more explicitly, the concept has to do with converting a conventional'ski pole into a support for photographic camera equipment and to provide other features and advantages.

As is generally well known by persons conversant with the field of endeavor-herein under consideration and with the exception of certain childrens molded ski poles, all ski poles are constructed in a manner to allow replacement of either the pre-shaped handgrip, strap or both. This result is accomplished 'by removing the ordinarily employed lag screw which is located at the top of the ski pole and replacing the same with novel camera mountingmeans andscrewing the lag screw com-- ponent thereof into its intended axially located position.

At present there is no conveniently reliable manner of transporting photographic equipment while one is participating in the sport ofskiing. Procedures and practices currently in use are often hazardous and cumbersome and have to do with the conventional camera strap which when skiing downhill may fly out dangerously from the shoulder strap and cause the skier to fall. ln certain instances the conventional shoulder strap is provided with anadditional cord which is tied around the waist for anchorage. This modeof use requires the skier to untie the' second cord whichinvolves the removal of'gloves andski poles and results in the likelihood of losing one or more of the items at'hand, and often becauseof cold hands. lneither'ofthe practices mentioned oncethe camera hasbeen freed unless the skier has brought additional equipment with him, he still lacks means, other thanphysical, to support the equipment. Because of these and other associated difficulties which need not bedwelled upon there has long existed a need which allows a skier to carry his photographic camera equipment andto at some controllable area to enable him to simply press the pointed lower end of the ski pole into the snow, use the shaft as an upright, and catch hold of the handgrip and steady the attached camera for practicaland reliably aimed use.

Although photographic cameras and similar equipment are ordinarily supported atop a stabilizing tripod, single support membershave been devised with a view toward enablingone to reliably propthe camera in an advantageous positionand to use the same with requisite reliability. For background purposes the reader may, if desired, refer tothe camera supporting device disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 2,636,822 granted to Kathryn B. Anderson. In addition for such guidance as may aid in obtainingfurther background information attention can be given to Frank E. Hanscomcamera support disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,074,338.

An object of the present invention is to structurally, functionally andotherwise improve upon priorart supports and, in doing so, to provide an adaptation which well serves the purposes for which it is intended, may be justly endorsed by manufacturers. retailers andusers and whichwell serves theoverall purposes for which it has been devised and successfully used.

Briefly the commonly used lag screw is dispensed with and a unique combination lag. screw and studis used'in lieu thereof. The device employedto achieve a desired result is characterized by acylindi'ical stud. This stud is provided at a bottom portion thereof with an outstanding flange-type limit stop shoulder. The stud serves to accommodate a'knurled locknut which in practice engages the bottom'of the photographic fore in the upper end of the customary molded hand- These together with other objeets and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof,

wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a photographic camera in phantom lines and how it is mounted atop the novel mounting means at the upper end of the handgrip, that is a handgrip such as is used on the upper end of the shaft of a conventional ski pole.

FIG. 2 isa view on a suitably enlarged scale and which is partly in elevation and partly in section, which bringsout the construction of the individual parts and the manner in which they are constructed and coopera-, tively associated with each other.

And FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view which shows the essential component parts individually and in ready-to-assemble relationship.

Referring to the views of the drawing the ski pole is denoted generally by the numeral 4, the shaft thereof beingdesignated at 6. The lower pointed end is provided with the usual basket-type or equivalent guard (not shown). The upper end portion is provided as usual with a screw-threaded socket 8'which in practice 2 serves to accommodatea lagscrew such'as is commonly used but is replaced by the improved adaptation herein shown and described. The numeral 10 clesignates a conventionally shaped handgrip the covering of which is denoted at l2and the-upper end of which is denoted at 14 and is provided with a concave recess 16. in normal practice this recess serves to accommodate the headed end of the commonly used lag screw (not shown).

The improved devicecomprisesa primary component unitary part which is denoted generally by the numeral 18 in FIG. 3. This part comprises a downwardly tapering properly threaded lag screw 20 which in the arrangement shown is adapted to be screwed into the socket 8 which is provided therefore as shown in FIG. 2. The upper end portion of this unit or component part is fashioned into a machinethreaded connector which is designated here as a stud 22. There isa surrounding flange-like shoulder provided at 24. In actual practice that portion of the screw just below the-flange or limit stop. shoulder is equipped with a compressibly resilient rubber or equivalent washer 26 whose lower convex portion 28 is adapted to be seated in the aforementioned recess 16 as brought out in FIG. 2. The aforementioned locknut comprises an annular rigid metal'or ring-like collar 30 having a knurled anti-slipping marginal edge or peripheral portion 32. The screwthreaded opening 34 at the center thereof is screwed in place on the stud and normally cooperates with the shoulder 24 and is interposed between the bottom 36 of the camera 38 in the manner illustrated. This is to say the nut is operatively mounted on the stud and permits a portion of the stud to project above the same to the level shown in FIG. 2 where it is screwed into a flanged fitting or mount 40 provided therefor as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 2.

The invention also features an appropriate cap nut 42 (FlG.3) and which comprises a cap portion 44 and a nut portion 46. i

'The illustration appearing in FIG. 2 shows the invention and how it is satisfactorily inserted in place of the customarily employed lag screw. Thus the lag screwin the improved construction denoted at 20 screws into the'socket 8 and servesto position and hold the handgrip l and also the looped hand strap 11 in place.

The essence of the invention has to do with the dual purpose connecting and couplingvmeans 18 which is characterized at the lower end by a tapering lag screw 20, has a machine threaded cylindrical stud 22 on its upper end and an outstanding endless flange 24 defining an appropriate limit stop shoulder which is employed as brought out in FIG. 2. With the parts properly assembled as illustrated in F lG.2 it will be evident that the lag screw functions in the usual manner and that the upper stud-equipped end 22 is screwed into the fitting 40 to provide the desired connection and to support the camera in a readily usable and ready -to-aim position. The handgrip comes into play as suggested in FIG. 1' in that it is grasped with one hand. In practice the lower end (not shown) is pressed into the snow and the-device the-n becomes a support for the, photographic camera equipment illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. I.

As pointed out the cap nut 42 is provided for the dual purposes of affording protection from the otherwise exposed threaded stud and isv also used in conjunction with-a conventional wrench (not shown) to drive the lag screw portion'of the device into the shaft in a mannerto secure the washer in place and to ready the device for use in mounting the camera in place. Utilization of the invention permits the skier to carry the photographic equipment at a continually controllable pointwhile skiing and when in use provides him with a stable support simply by pressing the lower pointed end of the ski pole into the snow. When not in use the invention I does not interfere with the normally functioning use of the ski pole. It will be evident thereforethat the invention takes the place of the commonly used lag screw (not shown) and provides means atop the handgrip and The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art. it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new as is follows:

1. In combination, a ski pole embodying a shaft having a lower end provided with the usual fixed guard and an upper end provided with a conventional-type molded handgrip having a complemental looped strap, mounting means accessibly and operatively mounted atop said handgrip for detachably mounting, transporting and supporting photographic camera equipment, whereby to thus permit said ski pole to be employed in the usual manner while skiing and also as a stabilizing and aiming support for the photographic camera equipment when using said equipment, said mounting means including an upstanding axially disposed machinethreaded stud expressly'designed and adapted to be aligned with and retentively but removably screwed into a screw-threaded socket-like fitting provided in the bottom of the camera of said equipment, said stud being provided with a limit stop shoulder and below said shoulder with an integral lag screw which serves to position and hold said handgrip and companion strap in a given place on the upper end of said shaft, and a compressibly resilient washer surrounding an upper end of said lag screw and abutting said shoulder, said washer being aligned with and seated in a pocketing recess provided therefore in an adjacent end portion of said handgrip. I

2. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and a locknut screwed on said stud adjacent and abutting said shoulder and providing a retaining device for the bottom of said camera.

3. The combination defined in and according to claim l, and a locknut screwed on said stud adjacent and abutting said shoulder and providing a retaining device for the bottom of said camera, said locknut I stud and adapted for use as a protector for the otherwise exposed terminal end portion of said stud and also to accommodate a wrench as is used when screwing said lag screw into a screw-threaded socket provided therefor in an axial upper end portion of said shaft.

5. In combination, an upstanding pole including a shaft having upper and lower ends and a molded upstanding elongated handgrip provided with an upstanding downwardly and endwise outwardly opening blind cavity therein telescoped over the upper end of said shaft with the latter seated in said cavity, a looped strap having a first end passed laterally through one side of said handgrip and disposed between the upper end of the shaft andthe opposing surfaces of said handgrip defining the inner end of said blind cavity, a lag screw secured through the upper end of said handgrip and threaded through said first end of the looped strap and into the upper end of said shaft, the upper end face of said handgrip including an outwardly opening recess surrounding said lag screw, a compressibly resilient washer disposed on said lag screw and seated in said recess, said lag screw including a stop shoulder above said washer abutted against the latter, said lag screw above said shoulder including an integral upstanding machine screw-threaded shank having a locknut threadedly engaged therewith below the upper end of 5 said shank, the upper end of said shank being adapted to be removably threaded in a screw-threaded fitting mote from said shoulder is compatibly convex. 

1. In combination, a ski pole embodying a shaft having a lower end provided with the usual fixed guard and an upper end provided with a conventional-type molded handgrip having a complemental looped strap, mounting means accessibly and operatively mounted atop said handgrip for detachably mounting, transporting and supporting photographic camera equipment, whereby to thus permit said ski pole to be employed in the usual manner while skiing and also as a stabilizing and aiming support for the photographic camera equipment when using said equipment, said mounting means including an upstanding axially disposed machine-threaded stud expressly designed and adapted to be aligned with and retentively but removably screwed into a screw-threaded socket-like fitting provided in the bottom of the camera of said equipment, said stud being provided with a limit stop shoulder and below said shoulder with an integral lag screw which serves to position and hold said handgrip and companion strap in a given place on the upper end of said shaft, and a compressibly resilient washer surrounding an upper end of said lag screw and abutting said shoulder, said washer being aligned with and seated in a pocketing recess provided therefore in an adjacent end portion of said handgrip.
 2. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and a locknut screwed on said stud adjacent and abutting said shoulder and providing a retaining device for the bottom of said camera.
 3. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and a locknut screwed on said stud adjacent and abutting said shoulder and providing a retaining device for the bottom of said camera, said locknut comprising a flat-faced ring-like collar having a knurled peripheral surface.
 4. The combination defined in and according to claim 2, and a cap nut removably screwed atop said stud and adapted for use as a protector for the otherwise exposed terminal end portion of said stud and also to accommodate a wrench as is used when screwing said lag screw into a screw-threaded socket provided therefor in an axial upper end portion of said shaft.
 5. In combination, an upstanding pole including a shaft having upper and lower ends and a molded upstanding elongated handgrip provided with an upstanding downwardly and endwise outwardly opening blind cavity therein telescoped over the upper end of said shaft with the latter seated in said cavity, a looped strap having a first end passed laterally through one side of said handgrip and disposed between the upper end of the shaft and the opposing surfaces of said handgrip defining the inner end of said blind cavity, a lag screw secured through the upper end of said handgrip and threaded through said first end of the looped strap and into the upper end of said shaft, the upper end face of said handgrip including an outwardly opening recess surrounding said lag screw, a compressibly resilient washer disposed on said lag screw and seated in said recess, said lag screw including a stop shoulder above said washer abutted against the latter, said lag screw above said shoulder including an integral upstanding machine screw-threaded shank having a locknut threadedly engaged therewith below the upper end of said shank, the upper end of said shank being adapted to be removably threaded in a screw-threaded fitting provided on the bottom of camera equipment to be stationarily supported atop said pole.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said recess is outwardly concave and the axial face of said washer remote from said shoulder is compatibly convex. 